Vehicle-top support.



-P, ATENTED JULY'Z, 1907'.

'No'. 853.435. J DALBSSANDRQ VEHIGLB'TOP SUPPORT. APPLIOATION I'ILB D JULY13, 1906.

Altarney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l JULIUS DALESSANDRO, OF WALNUT GROVE, CALIFORNIA. v

. VEHICLE-TOP SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. July 2, 1907.

Application filed .TulylS, 1906. Serial No. 326,111.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS nALEssANDRo, a citizen of the United States, residing at Walnut Grove, in the county of Sacramento, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Top Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a vehicle top support, and particularly to a structure supported from the side rail 1 thereof.

The invention has for an object to provide a buffer spaced from an angular projection from the side rail so as to engage and support the ribs of the vehicle top when the same is in lowered position, and also to permit the application of supporting springs in connection with spective of the buffer; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the bufier; Fig. 4.is an elevation of one of the supporting washers; Fig. 5 is a section showing the application of the supporting spring to the buffer; Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of this spring; Fig. 7 is a section showing a modified form of supporting spring, and Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of the cushion carried by said spring.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The numeral 1 designates the side of a vehicle seat which is provided with the usual rail 2 upon which the top 3 is pivotally mounted, as shown at 4. This rail is provided with an angular post 5 from which the brace 6 extends to the vehicle top in the usual manner. Upon the post 5 the usual rubber cushion block 7 is disposed, as shown in Fig. 3, and at each end of this block the washers or supporting plates 8 for the buffer are dis posed and held in position by a cap nut 9 disposed upon the outer end of the post 5. As shown in Fig. 4the plates 8 are provided with an angular aperture 10 to fit the post 5 and hold the plate against rotation thereon, while the outer end of this plate is provided with the curved slot 11 through which the journal 12 of the buffer block 13 is adapted to pass. This block is covered with the usual rubber cushion 14mounted thereon, and the block is yieldingly supported at one or both ends by means of the spring 15 mounted upon the plate 8 by means of the bolt 16 passing through the aperture 17 therein. The end 18 of this spring is held against movement by a clip 19 on the plate, while the opposite end 20 of the spring is provided with an eye through which the pivot 12 of the buffer block extends. It will thus be seen that the rubber cushion 14 is yieldingly supported slightly above the cushion block 7 on the fixed post. If it be desired to mount this buffer in fixed position relative to the cushion on the post, the same may be accomplished by means of the threaded apertures 21 provided in the plates 8 and adapted to receive the journals 12 of the block when screwed therein to hold the plates.

Under some conditions of use it is desirable to extend the bearing point for the vehicle top, and the buffer cushion block may then be mounted in proper relation to thepost and the supporting spring 22 applied to the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 6. This spring is provided at one end with a circular or coiled portion 23 embracing the cushion 7 so as to be frictionally held thereon, and is provided with lugs 24to prevent laterally slipping of the spring upon the cushion. The outer end 25 of the spring is provided with the clip 26 to receive a portion of the vehicle top and at the base of this clip a rubber covered or cushioned screw 27 is used to prevent injury to thetop barsand to secure the clip in position. v

In the form of the invention hereinbefore described the supporting plates or washers have been disposed in substantially horizontal position, but if it be desired to raise the point of support for the top to a material extent above the post 5, it may be accomplished by disposing the plates 8 in vertical position, as shown in Fig. 7, and a form of supporting spring 28 is there shown having the angular end portion 29 adapted to slide upon the post 5 when the rubber cushion is removed therefrom, while the upperportion of the spring is provided with a curved body 30 adapted to partially embrace the buffer cushion 14,. while the extended end 31 of this spring is provided with a clip 32 similar to the clip 26 before described. In each form of this supporting spring it is desirable to prevent contact of the vehicle top therewith which would injure or mar the surface of the supporting ribs, and for this purpose a cushion 33 the spring at the cutaway portion 36 thereof, while from 100 the center of the casing a projection 37 extends downwardly and through the body of the spring to enter the buffer block and effectually prevent sliding motion of the spring or cushion upon the vehicle top. I

In the operation of the invention it will be seen that 10 5 the supporting plates provide means by which the buffor may be carried at a distance from the rail post and can be yieldingly supported to receive the weight of the, vehicle top and to prevent injury thereto when used upon good roads. If the vehicle is to be used upon 110 rough or bad roads it is desirable to further support and protect the top against rattling by means of the springs shown in Figs. 6 and 7 which add the resiliency of the spring to that of the rubber cushion. It will therefore be seen that the invention presents a simple, economical and efiicient construction of parts to be assembled in various Ways in order to permit the use thereof under all conditions and upon different characters of vehicles Where the form of the top may require changes in arrangement of the support.

Having noW described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. A vehicle top support comprising a post, parallel supporting plates secured rigidly thereon, and a butter block between the free end of said plates.

2. A vehicle top support comprising a post, parallel supporting plates secured rigidly thereon; a butter block between the free end of said'plates, and a yielding support for said block.

3. Ayehicle top support comprising a post, supporting plates secured thereon, a buffer block carried by the free end of said plates, 3. yielding support for said block, and means carried by said plates for adjustably mounting the block therein.

4. ma vehicle top support, an angular post, a cushion sleeve thereon, supporting plates having an angular aperture to seat upon said post at the opposite ends of said sleeve, a buffer block provided with journals extending through slots in said plates, and means for yieldingly supporting said journals.

5. In a vehicle top support, an angular post, a cushion sleeve thereon, supporting plates having an angular aperture to seat upon said post at the opposite ends of said sleeve, a buffer block provided with journals extending through slots in said plates, and a supporting spring socured at one end to one of said plates and provided with an eye at its opposite end to receive said journal.

6. In a vehicle top support, a post, supporting plates rigidly extended therefrom, a buffer block carried by the free ends of said plates, and a supporting spring disposed upon said block and provided at one end with a portion surrounding said post and at its opposite end with an engaging clip.

7. In a vehicle top support, a post, supporting plates rigidly extended therefrom, a buffer block carried by the free ends of said plates, a supporting spring disposed upon said block and provided at one end with a portion surrounding said post and at its opposite end with an engaging clip, and a cushion carried by the upper face of said spring.

8. In a vehicle top support, a post, supporting plates rigidly extended therefrom, a buffer block carried by the free ends of said plates, a supporting spring disposed upon said block and provided at one end with a portion surrounding said post and at its opposite end with an engaging clip, a cushion carried by the upper face of said spring, and means for removably attaching said cushion to the spring.

9. In a vehicle top support, a post, supporting plates rigidly extended therefrom, a butter block mounted in the free ends of said plates, a supporting spring extending from the post and bearing upon said block, and a clip carried by the free end of said spring beyond said block.

10. In a vehicle top support, an angular post, supporting plates provided with angular recesses to iit said post and a slot and pivoting apertures at the free end thereof, and a butter block mounted at the free end of said plates.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JULIUS rraniissnnnno.

Witnesses:

I. F, MORRIS, WM. BncKMAN. 

